I've got a fair amount of hickory stacked and wondering about it, I've never burned it that I recall. The last several years since I started the scrounge thing and even selling firewood, I have used quite a few wood types other than the typical red/white oak I have burned my whole life. It has been decades since I have seen a shagbark hickory around here. I think what I have is pignut or mockernut or species other than shagbark! It has the bark that has a crosshatch pattern look to it. It's certainly not shagbark. So, what is that you like about hickory? Any especially good things to know? Or bad? I note that it doesn't split as nicely as something like red oak and is sometimes crazy stringy, but most of the splits come out nice. I am going to ask a couple of logger friends if they ever see shagbark and try to get some!
Generally, produces nice splits for stacking, dries down relatively quick, and burns long and hot! I try to get my hands on as much of the stuff as possible, especially shagbark hickory. In my "neck of the woods", it is considered premium firewood!
It really is a great firewood. Dense, lasts a long time in the furnace. Good for overnight burns. Seasond/drys faster than oak. Downsides are it rots, gets punky faster and bugs tend to really like it. I can deal with the stringyness when splitting. Its not that bad for me.
Good btu's across the board, although shag is the best of them. Shag, pignut and bitternut the three around here. Ill take when primo and easy to get. I let it dry at least two Summers...18 months minimum. Have some 2.5-3 year splits that'll go soon. Dont score it too often even though rather common tree in these parts. Working a score that has some there and will get back soon.
This afternoon I had a customer ask if I had any because he wants to make a hatchet handle. His load just happened to have several pieces of mockernut. I’ll get into my motherload of Hickory in January. It will be the first time I burn pure hickory loads, so I’m expecting life changing heat. I don’t enjoy splitting fresh Hickory. It’s extra work. Dead bark falling off hickory not so bad.
It's in the top 5 on my favorite firewood list. I love it for smoking jerky, cooking steaks on the fire, and for long lasting heat. It burns long, hot and smells great while doing so.
I've actually been burning a mix of hickory, ash and chestnut oak since I started the heating season back in Oct.
Hickorys are high on the btu charts and dry relatively quick. What's not to love about that? The only negative I've experienced is the powder from the beetles. Most of what I had was shaggy. Unreal heat output. I’ve still got some from my score of it in Aug ‘17. It is in no way soft or showing any decay.
The only thing I dislike about hickory is the bark is really hard on chains. Other than that it's great.
Yeah you'll see sparks fly occasionally green shagbark hickory bark. Also, watch the bark itself. It can fly off and hit you on the face. Let me tell you that that can REALLY hurt. It was a super cold day that happened to me. After that day I asked for a helmet with a face shield and got one for Christmas. Aside from that, it can be tough to split, but it has such high BTU's and dries in 2 summers.
We use hickory sometimes for smoking ribs, pork, and chicken. Apple works good too. Sometimes I'll start a little fire w/hickory or apple off to the side when grilling steaks and burgers. Add a nice little flavor. As mentioned, good firewood too. NYH1.
Burns hotter than a ho** in church-It is life-changing heat, you’ll think you’re gonna melt your stove when you get a good solid fire going, I pair it with beech for the coldest of days, I’ll pair it with a good Cabernet and NY Strip as well. It’s well worth all effort to have in your stacks, IMO.
Yup! Sure does. One thing I learned is that is dulls the chain very fast. I don't think Yawner is going to like learning that at all (judging from his comments in the noodling thread!) Agree on the stringy splitting also but mine was from a fresh cut tree. I did not experience the short drying times that some are speaking of.
mmmmmmm BACON!!!! Only thing I don't like about hickory is the small slivers I occasionally get in my hands. Never seems to happen with other woods.
That's right! Forgot about those until you mentioned it! Seems a lot of them needed to be dug out also.
I like everything about hickory except for how much it weighs. If you get rounds 20"+ they are no joke.
